How to Pronounce Jean Bédel Bokassa

Meaning and Context

Jean-Bédel Bokassa, a figure of immense notoriety in post-colonial African history, was a Central African military officer who seized power in a coup d'état on January 1, 1966, overthrowing his cousin, President David Dacko. He ruled the Central African Republic, and later the Central African Empire, with brutal autocracy for nearly thirteen years. His reign reached its surreal zenith on December 4, 1976, when he crowned himself Emperor Bokassa I in a grotesquely opulent coronation ceremony in Bangui, consciously modeled after Napoleon Bonaparte's and estimated to have cost a quarter of the nation's annual budget. This event, alongside well-documented atrocities such as the 1979 Bangui massacre of schoolchildren, cemented his legacy as a paradigm of megalomania and violent despotism. His regime, marked by extreme corruption and human rights abuses, relied heavily on the support of France until international pressure forced his French allies to facilitate his overthrow in 1979. Bokassa's story remains a critical case study in the pitfalls of absolute power, neocolonial relationships, and the tragic instability that plagued many nascent African nations.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling of the name is Jean-Bédel Bokassa, which includes the hyphen in his first name and the acute accent on the first 'e' in Bédel. Common variations and errors often arise from omitting these diacritical marks or the hyphen. The most frequent alternate spelling is Jean Bedel Bokassa, dropping both the hyphen and the accent. One may also encounter Jean-Bédel Bokasa (missing one 's') or simply Bokassa used alone, which is generally acceptable in context. In historical French sources, the full styling Sa Majesté Impériale Bokassa I or Empereur Bokassa I may appear. It is important to distinguish him from his cousin, David Dacko, the man he overthrew and who later replaced him. When searching, common misspellings include "Jean Bedel Bokasa," "Jean Bédel Bokasa," and "Bokasa."

Example Sentences

Historians often cite the lavish coronation of Jean-Bédel Bokassa as one of the most glaring examples of a ruler's detachment from his impoverished nation's reality.

Following his overthrow, Jean-Bédel Bokassa lived in exile in Côte d'Ivoire and France before unexpectedly returning to the Central African Republic in 1986, where he was tried and convicted for his crimes.

The regime of Jean-Bédel Bokassa was characterized by a bizarre blend of self-aggrandizement and extreme cruelty, leaving a deep scar on the national psyche.

In a strange twist of fate, Bokassa was initially buried in the courtyard of his former opulent palace in Berengo.

Many analyses of Franco-African politics during the Cold War cannot be complete without examining France's complicated and supportive relationship with Jean-Bédel Bokassa until his atrocities became indefensible.

Related Pronunciations

• How to pronounce Thabo Mbeki (Xhosa)
• How to pronounce Mobutu Sese Seko
• How to pronounce Kwame Nkrumah
• How to pronounce Mengistu Haile Mariam
• How to pronounce Samora Machel